


Slip Through

by Solrika



Series: Crossbones [3]
Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Ghosts, Alternate Universe - Supernatural Elements, Gen, Ghosts
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-15
Updated: 2016-11-15
Packaged: 2018-08-31 03:53:53
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 848
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8562835
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Solrika/pseuds/Solrika
Summary: After they lose Slipstream and its pilot, strange things start to happen at the Watchpoint...





	

 

 

It starts after Slipstream. Rumors filter through the base of a young woman walking through walls, staring at something in the distance. They almost lose three pilots when their planes are yanked off course in the middle of a training maneuver, ghostly hands wrapping around the controls. Rosie Oxton appears on base, hammering on the commander’s door until Jack answers, crying about her lost sister falling through their living room—again and again and again, terror on her face, reaching out a second too late.

Gabriel takes to sitting out on the tarmac at midnight. Jack kisses him goodnight in the middle of the runway, reaching past the shadows shifting over his face. It takes a month before Gabriel admits defeat and returns to his usual resting place at Jack’s side, and of course that’s the night where Slipstream, pilot and all, crashes through Jack’s dreams.

“It’s Lena,” Gabriel says, perhaps needlessly, when Jack wakes up.

Jack shivers, shifts closer to where Gabe’s perched on the edge of the bed. “She’s dead, then.”

Gabriel pauses. “Maybe.”

Jack sits up, scrubs the sleep out of his eyes. “What the fuck do you mean, _maybe_ ,” he snaps. “She’s dead or she’s not, Gabe.”

Gabriel just stares through his tired irritation until Jack drops his gaze, and then says, “I mean maybe. Like calls like, and she doesn’t feel like a shade. Sure isn’t normal, though.” He stands, tosses Jack a shirt. “C’mon, sunshine, let’s go visit the science division. I got a feeling Lena Oxton’s a little less MIA than we thought.”

~

Winston becomes used to seeing one Lena—or two, or three—flicker in and out of life over his work table. She rarely talks to him, usually focused on staring at something only she can see. He prefers that, honestly, because when she does notice him she starts screaming for help.  Winston may be a scientist, but he’s not cold-hearted. There’s only so many times he can stand reaching back only for his fingers to slip straight through her desperate hands.

He’s less used to Commander Reyes slipping in after the rest of the lab’s gone dark. There’s no scent to him, just a creeping chill, and no matter how alert Winston is (and he’s usually not, three energy drinks into the night) Reyes’ quiet “Hello” always gives him a startle.

“How’s it going?” Reyes asks this night, holding out a jar of peanut butter in tacit apology.

Winston grins weakly back, straightens his glasses, accepts the gift even though Reyes’ skin makes his fur prickle. “Getting closer, sir.” He sighs, rubbing at his face. “I wish I could be faster.”

The temperature in the room rising a few degrees, and Reyes treats him to a warm smile. “I’m proud of you for keeping at it.”

Winston can’t help but fidget at the praise, grinning shyly down at the peanut butter in his hands. “Thank you, sir.”

“We made a good decision, bringing you on.” Reyes doesn’t pat Winston’s shoulder, but the sentiment is somehow conveyed. “Make sure to get some sleep, alright?”

“Yessir, I’m off to bed soon,” Winston says, even though both of them know it’s a bald-faced lie.

Reyes shakes his head, gives Winston a smile that says he’s seen right through it. “I’ll make sure to remind Jack to requisition you some more energy drinks.” He gives a little wave, and then melts away, and Winston is left alone in the lab.

He turns back to his work, and then—

“You’re getting closer?”

Winston startles again, and there’s Lena Oxton, inches from his face. She reaches out, as if she could tangle her fingers in his fur to keep herself grounded, and he gasps, makes himself talk. “Yes! Yes, Lena, hold on, we’re getting there, we’re getting there—“

She smiles, eyes lighting up, and fractures into blue sparks.

Winston stares at the afterimage for a long time, the sparks flitting across his iris, turning into equations and dead ends and possibilities. Rubs at his face. Reaches for another energy drink, and turns back to his work.

~

Lena snaps awake from a dream to find her double’s fingers tangled in hers. She doesn’t have to look, but she does anyway. Her double grins back, gives her a little finger-gun, and Lena relaxes back against the pillow.

“This is one of the good times, huh?” she says, and feels more than sees when her double nods.

“Just a lil’ routine trip,” she confirms. “Trying out jumping back from next week. Winston’s getting better at fine-tuning the device,” and taps the glowing circle that’s strapped to both their chests.

“People keep asking me if you’re a lost twin or something,” Lena says, turning over to curl against the other’s shoulder.

“Might as well say so.”

“Makes it easier,” Lena agrees, closing her eyes. “Nothing’s gonna happen if I go back to sleep, right?”

“Nah. We just sleep through the night and find out that they’ve restocked our favorite cereal in the morning.”

“Bloody brilliant,” Lena says, just to hear herself laugh, and lets herself slip back under.

 


End file.
